China and Israel These Days

 Nadene Goldfoot                                      

China has erased the name of Israel off their maps.  That's a terrible sign.  

I was brought up in Ladds Addition, Portland, Oregon where many of my neighbors were Chinese. Ladd's Addition was an experiment of housing mixed nationalistic people together of a medium financial household.  We had Greeks, Italians, Chinese, Jewish, many others who showed up at school smorgasbord dinners that were great.   My son's best friend, David Louie lived across the street and I drove to college every day with a Chinese neighbor.  My brother attended Hebrew school after public school-day while his Chinese friend attended Chinese school, too.  Two doors away from me was my playmate, Joan Padrow, parents immigrants from Palestine/Israel.  

We had good relations with our buddies, an important part of our own make-up is based on the development of our childhood.  We got together and we each also had our own circle of close relatives to cherish.  We were a family--based people.  How is the world doing?  I need not ask, I know.  The question is, how are China and Israel getting along?  

On the left under Turkey is Israel on the border with the white Mediterranean Sea.  China is humungous.  China covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometers (3.7 million square miles), making it the third or fourth largest country in the world by total area.

Approximately 9,000 to 12,000 residents of Chinese descent live within the Portland city limits. They represent a substantial segment of Portland’s Asian demographic, which makes up about 8.1% (over 52,000 people) of the city's total population.

Approximately 57,000+ Jewish people call the Greater Portland area home . Approximately 3,000 to 5,000 Orthodox Jews live in the Greater Portland area,    According to the comprehensive 2022-23 Greater Portland Jewish Community Study, the wider metropolitan region—which spans into Southwest Washington—is home to roughly 56,600 individuals of Jewish descent , with some estimates reaching over 75,000 in the extended metro area. 

Global Strategy: China generally seeks to avoid direct frontline involvement in Middle East conflicts, prioritizing its energy security, trade stability, and its "Belt and Road Initiative" . Beijing attempts to maintain a delicate balance—professing concern over the escalating violence and backing a two-state solution while continuing its massive trade operations. Hopefully, since October 7, 2023, they realize a 2-state solution no longer is on the table.  

Political and Diplomatic Ties: Diplomatic relations have cooled significantly since the outbreak of the Gaza war and the regional conflict with Iran. Beijing has taken a stance aligned closely with the Global South, criticizing Israeli military actions in Gaza and Lebanon, and pushing for Palestinian statehood. China also maintains close strategic and economic partnerships with Iran, placing it at odds with Israeli security goals. 

Trade and Economics: China remains Israel's largest trading partner in East Asia and its second-largest globally, with robust Chinese investments in Israeli infrastructure and technology sectors . Israeli companies continue to do significant business with Chinese firms, and there are high-profile commercial disputes, such as a major intellectual property claim against a Chinese EV giant.

 The bilateral relationship between Israel and China is highly complex and strained due to the broader geopolitical landscape and the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.  Of course, everyone is confounded by the Middle East today.